How to feed earthworms?

[celbrise]

So i recently read in these forums some people feeding earthworms to puffers. I vermicompost ( composting using earthworms ) and i was wondering If i could use those worms and if so how to feed to my puffer. the worms in my compost are what many people refer to red wigglers they don't get very big unlike nightcrawlers. I also have what is known as Indian blue worms they are not that big as well just bluish/purple colored. Are these species safe to feed to my puffer? Also how do i feed it to my puffer he/she is really picky i been feeding snails recently and s/he will devour them quickly ONLY if i smash them seems like he cannot crack them open though nor cares for them if i leave them in their whole he will ignore them. Also how often can i feed worms i doubt daily but i mean is it okay to feed once a week. looking to try feeding it a worm tomorrow if possible..

[Pufferpunk]

Just rinse em off & drop em in. I would think any of those worms should be fine, as long as there is no fertilizer where they're kept. Some of my puffers (DPs, miurus) eat only live worms.

[celbrise]

Yea their is no fertilizer thanks i will try tomorrow hopefully it eats it if not then i will just put it back

[Pufferpunk]

I read in your other post your fish isn't hunting food. How often are you feeding? You may want to wait a few days before adding the worm.

[celbrise]

I feed every couple days. usually it's not on a set schedule but 1-3 days before last feeding. I just tried feeding it a worm pretty decent sized one and it was lively as well wiggling in the water and it didn't budge it saw it dangling as well but didn't seem intrested. I know it is hungry as it's been about 3 days now since last feeding. seems VERY picky. like in the other post it will eat certain foods but it won't hunt them down like snails. i will have to smash them just to get it to eat them.

[Pufferpunk]

IDK of any puffer that would turn down a live worm.

[celbrise]

lol now you do, mine. Im sure if i cut it up into pieces it will literally take it without a problem. I just ordered some ghost shrimp not the 100 like i said in the other post but only 50. going to let them run loose in the tank at least maybe 1-2 when i get them and let my gsp hunt them down.

[Pufferpunk]

Puffers have teeth that can easily cut into worm flesh but by all means, chop them up! Ghost shrimp have almost no nutrition, unless they are gut-loaded.

[celbrise]

the one i am getting he said he gets from his koi pond and i assume theirs lots of algae if that is what they eat. mainly trying to get it to hunt live food rather then relying on me to chop up the food. will have to cut up a worm and try it some time hopefully it will take it

[RTR]

The snail may be too large for the fish, or it could be some issue with the water. Water conditions can affect appetite and definitely affect activity.

[Nuclear_Glitter]

Tank conditions can really matter as RTR says.

You could try cutting the worms up though. I have two eels who I chop worms up for, because they won't eat them whole. Also, his "teeth" aren't over grown, are they?

[celbrise]

I don't assume it's teeth are overgrown it's kind of hard to tell as my tank is dark since i don't use a hood light but natural light and i have been feeding it lots of hard foods. the snails are definetly too big as my puffer is about an inch long only got it last summer and the snails i feed it are about dime size. it definetly can't fit an entire snail into it's mouth yet alone half the shells. I read somewhere it should be the size of it's eyes but those are really small. I had cleaned out my tank yesterday and i will be doing a reading on the waters and salinity in a few minutes forgot to do that yesterday -.-" I will get back in a few minutes with the data

[celbrise]

these are the numbers i got they were from those cheap testing strips and cheap hydrometer so some might be iffy..

Salinity - 1.004
GH- 120/180 ( looked like 180 to me )
KH- 40/80
PH- 6.5
No2- 0.5-1
No3- 20

I assume some of those readings are too high and salinity probably too low which i am raising to at least 1.006 other then that yea he eats just fine just not live foods but i rather feed live foods they are more nutritional then say froozen shrimp.

[Pufferpunk]

What kind of puffer is this? Your pH is extremely acid. What substrate are you using? What's the pH of your tap water?
If you're showing any nitrite at all, the tank isn't cycled properly.

[celbrise]

I am using regular smooth gravel. tap water i didn't test. As i mentioned this was with one of those cheap water testing strips it is VERY hard to even tell the correct colors. and im housing a Green spotted puffer ( GSP ) 1 only in a 53gal tank, filtered. it's been running for the past year now only doing about 20%-30% water changes weekly. Did exactly what the instruction told me to do. I think i will have to Opt for better testing equipment soon.